I Ain't Gonna Paint No More!

When Mama catches her son 'paintin' pictures on the floor/and the ceiling/and the walls/and the curtains/and the door,' she sticks him in the tub and declares, 'Ya ain't a-gonna paint no more!' Fresh from his bath, the child rescues his hidden supplies and says, 'So I take some red/and I paint my…/HEAD!' Subsequent rhymes move from neck down to feet as he adds gobs of color to different areas. Since the last word of each verse comes on the following page, readers get the satisfaction of completing the anticipated rhyme and seeing each newly painted body part with each page turn. Catrow splashes color all over, uses white space cleverly, and includes playful flourishes, such as a marching row of ants on the boy's arm and Easter egg show more designs on his leg. Elongated figures and exaggerated expressions match the silly tone of the story, and the concerned dog who observes the antics is particularly amusing. With rhymes that invite audience participation and scenes that draw the eye, this is a strong storytime choice. Based on the song 'It Ain't Gonna Rain No More,' show less

I think that this is a very catchy and interesting book for young kids. It deals with an issue that many kids get in trouble for at some point in their young lives – drawing on things on which they are not supposed to draw. The illustrations are drawn originally in black and white and are then colored in with what looks like water colors to represent the paint that the little boy is using in the story. There is a pop of color on each page, immediately drawing the reader’s eyes to the page. The illustrations also go along perfectly with the story, highlighting each body part as the little boy paints it. This teaches young kids body parts, allowing them to connect the word arm, for instance, with an actual picture of an arm. The show more language in this book is also very repetitive and uses rhyming words to draw in the reader. For example, each page includes a creative way to say how he is painting a different body part. On one page, the author writes, “Still ain’t complete till I paint my… FEET!” One thing that I am unsure of with this book is the use of slang language. I like the rhythm and feel that it gives to the book, and it undoubtedly makes the book more interesting. However, I would not want children reading this book to then think that it is acceptable to use words such as “ain’t” or “ya’ll” in every day, formal conversation. Overall, I liked this book, and I believe that the central message is to teach kids the different parts of their bodies. show less

Using the song "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More" as a starting point, author Karen Beaumont spins a rhyming tale about a young boy who just can't seem to stop painting - especially himself! Full of exuberance, and a love of bright colors, his painterly instincts break out, even after his mother had forbidden him from continuing. The only thing that can put an end to his artistic depredations is... running out of paint!

Although unfamiliar with the song upon which it is based, I found I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! quite entertaining, and was reminded a bit of stories like A Day with No Crayons, about a girl who marks up her bedroom wall, and Oh, Were They Ever Happy!, about a group of children left home alone on a Saturday, who paint their show more house (and themselves). These sorts of associations are always welcome to me, and increased my enjoyment of Beaumont's tale and artist David Catrow's colorful illustrations. Recommended to all young would-be painters, who feel they simply can't contain the creative impulses within... show less

This book is really great to read to small children. As I read this it reminded me of my son when he was younger and he would take it upon himself to draw on the walls and pretty much decorate his room with crayons. I think that this book is great to put into perspective to both the child and the parent that this is more common than one thinks, both the act and the reaction.

I honestly couldn't stop smiling when I read this book because it reminded me of one of my cousins I grew up with. He was exactly like the kid in the story. I really shows a young reader that you can have fun, but there has to be boundaries (at least that's what I got out of it, perhaps a child wouldn't). The art work was admirable, and I loved how the art followed the storyline in that it progressively got more and more colorful as the story (and painting) progressed. I would recommend this fun story to any young reader, or to any parent looking to take up some time in the day with stories.

What a fun book! From beginning to end, the reader is enthralled with the narrators wild behavior. Not only is it a fun read, but the dialect gives a complete shift from standard English.

The language is one of the most powerful aspects of this book; even though the main character is a little boy, the way he talks is clear he is very strong-willed and independent. "One day my mama caught me paintin' pictures on the floor and the ceiling," and pretty much every other place in the living room. After taking a bath, his mama hides the paint but our main character finds a way to get it down and you won't believe what he paints next.

This wild book captures the heart of anyone who appreciates raw art. I would highly recommend!

We start with a bouncy rhythm, as the kid describes how his paints got taken away.

Then he gleefully (to the tune of "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More", of course) sneaks to the closet starts painting his whole body (and, incidentally, the rest of the pristine white house!)

I love the color, and I love the rhythm. Seriously, I'm reading this every day to my two nieces, age 5 and 3. They can't get enough of it!

I will note that there is a scene where the kid almost paints his (now naked) butt (singing "But I'm such a nut, I'm gonna paint my...." before his mother walks in with a timely "WHAT?!?" to end the fun again), and, of course, this whole book is about a child misbehaving willfully (he climbed onto several boxes to retrieve his paint from show more the closet, after his mother told him to stop at the start of the book). But it's such fun that I think so long as you're clear that This Is Not Cool In Real Life that your children won't misunderstand and start misbehaving in your own home. show less